Western Tanager at Riverbend, VA
KurtCapt87@aol.com
Wed, 7 Oct 1998 19:45:23 EDT
I birded Riverbend Park this morning, 7 Oct 98, from 0730 to 0930. The sky
was gray, the temp about 64 F, occ light wind mainly from the east. The
highlight of the day was a Western Tanager, female. Description follows:
First acquired in bare tree on south side of meadown, poor light but green
back was quite obvious, grayish wings, two wing bars, the bird turned and I
could see the yellow breast, unstreaked, chest down to at least the mid-belly
streaked. A Yellow-rump landed nearby and the first bird was bigger by 1-2
inches, and was somewhat chunky in appearance, not slim at all. Viewing time
about 30 seconds at 50 yds. It then flew across the meadow to the west side
trees (an imm Red-shoulder was nearby, and lots of loud noises about a block
or two away) but I reacquired the bird in the trees as it hover-gleaned at
20-30 feet. The lighting was very good and I could easily see the yellow
breast, uniform in color, the lime green nape and rear top of head and the
contrasting darker lime green from the scapular region to the where the wings
fold. The grayish winds had two thin but obvious wing bars which appeared
white. I had several views of the bill which was flesh-colored in appearance,
and thick at the base, The bill looked like a Tanager bill. Viewing time
about 1 minute at 50 yds.
Other highlights at Riverbend were....
imm Red-shouldered - 1
C. Swift - 30+
E. Peewee - 1
E. Phoebe - 4+
H. Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 5+
Wood Thrush - 1
Cedar Waxwings - 16
Magnolia - 5
Black-thr Blue - 2
Yellow-rumped - 32+
Black-thr Green - 3
Palm - 3
Am Redstart - 4
Common Yellowthroat - 12
Scarlet Tanager - 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Indigo Bunting - 5
Towhee - 1
Chipping Sp - 6
Field Sp - 1
Song Sp - 12
Swamp Sp - 12
Junco - 1